Fire kindler



July 9, 1935. r HIQCARLETQN 2,007,292

FIRE- KINDLER Filed Oct. 20, 1932 INVENTGR.

ATTORNEY Patented July 9, 1935 UNITED STATES L r 2,007,292 FIRE KINDYLERY I Earl'H. Carleton, Cincinnati,-hio

Application October. 20,

I 6 Claims." (01. 12612'7)- This application is a continuation in part of my application, Ser. No. 588,598, filed February 25, 1932. 1 Y

My invention relates to devices whereby the direct ignition of fuel may be obtained without the intermediate use of paper kindling, orthe like. It is directed particularly to the kindling of fuel in a fire place, such as are commonly employed in residences. It has hitherto been suggested that the use of intermediate kindling fuel could be eliminated by the use of a burner which would cause agas flame to impinge upon the fuel in'the fire place, such, for example, as logs of wood or coal. areto be burned, and for the burning of coal or fuel in similar form there is usually provided either a crate or a basket. In either event, it is possible to locate a gas burner beneath the fuel or fuel holders; but this is unsightly and is inconvenient to use because not only does the burner tend to become clogged by ashes, but also the pennanent'location of a burner beneath the fuel holding device hinders the removal of ashes and the cleaning of the fire-place.

It is an object of my invention to provide ade- Vice which will have none of these disadvantages, which is an integral part of the finished fireplace, and does not in any way detract from the appearance thereof.

It is an object of my invention to avoid the necessity oflocating a burner beneath the fuel.

It is another object of my invention to locate a flame-forming device in the rear wall of .the fire-place, and to provide means for directing a flame therefrom beneath the fuel.

It is an object of my invention to secure these advantages in a burner or fiame forming device which may be located on the rear wall of the fireplace so as not to be interfered with by an accumulation of ashes.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a device which may be installed in the rear wall of a'fire-place as an integral unit thereof, and which will preferably be of a size and shape substantially corresponding to the structural units of which the fire-place ismade, so that it does not require for its installation any change or cutting of these units, or any particular type of fire brick fittings, or the like.

It is still another object of my invention to produce improvements in a fiame forming device for the purpose described.

These and other objects of my invention which will be set forth hereinafter or will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading thesespeci- Andirons are usually provided when logs V fications, I accomplish bythat certain construction-and arrangement of parts of which I shall nowsdescribe a preferred embodiment. Reference isgnowmadeto the drawing, which forms a part hereof, in which:

Figure l is a front, elevation of a fire-place with my device installed therein.

. Fig. 2 is a cross section of my device taken approximately throughthe center thereof.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectionof an exemplary fire 10 place with my device installed therein. This section is taken alongthe lines 3, 3 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of my device. 1

.Briefiy, in the practice of myinvention, I provide a gas manifold orburner which may be set 15' into the rear wall of. a fire place above the fioor thereof, and which, for the purpose, is made of a size and shape to correspond with the structural units-of which the fire place rear wall is made. This ma.nifold orburner has jet forming ports, adapted to direct a' stream of gas which may be ignited to fo'rnra flame, beneath the fuel to be kindled; Appropriate gas connections are made to mydevice, and the supply of gas is controlled by a valve 'or the-like, located preferably in a position of convenient access,- preferably at the side of the fire place. H

The burner ormanifold maybe made of .various substances,, including ceramic materials, but Ipreferto make it in the form of a metal casting I of generally rectangular cross section. The casting is hollowed in order toform a chamber 3. A threaded connection 5 is provided in the back portion 4; to deliver gas into the chamber. In the front face -2 of the burner there are a plurality ofports 8. r Chamber 3 has a floor 6, which is preferably made to slant from the rear wall '4 toward the face 2;. and the portsS, are preferably so located as to be in line with the declination of this floor. The ports are likewise directed downwardly so that although the burner is located above the floor of the fire place, jets of gaslwill be directly downwardly beneaththe fueLS'resting upon an appropriate fuel holder or holders In. Toward the ends of my device the ports 8 may be directed outwardly also, as shown in Fig. 4 at 8a. The construction of my burner, in which the ports are in line with the slanting floor thereof, gives me a construction in which any ashes or other fine material which enters the ports of the burner will beblown out again and will not tend to clog the burner.

Fire places are ordinarily constructed of fire brick or tile of standard sizes. These brick are laid either face down or face out. Due to the nature of such brick, it is highly inconvenient either to cut or chip them. Consequently my device is preferably made in such a way that it can take the place of a brick or bricks, or follow the natural space left in a structure formed by laying some of the brick one way and some another. Although dimensions are not a limitation upon my invention, I prefer to make the casting or burner l of a length equivalent to the length of two bricks, plus the intervening mortar joint. I also prefer to make my device in two different heights. to the thickness of a brick, so that my device may be laid in a wall of bricks laid face down and will take the place of one or more bricks. Another of these heights is preferably the dif: ference between the thickness of a brick plus a mortar joint and the height of the face of a brick.

As will be clear from the foregoing description, my device is let into the rear wall of a fire place at the time the wall is being built, although, of course, my device is equally applicable to fire places which are already constructed. 7 In building a fire place, where the bricks are to be laid face down, I prefer to run one course of brick above the floor, and then to run my device in the second course of brick, afterward continuing the building of the fire placewall in the ordinary way. Where the bricks are to be laid face out, as in the Fig. 1, my device may easily be installed by placingit above a partial course of brick laid face down as indicated at la, the remainder of the bricks being laid face out, as at lb. The height of my device, plus the brick 1a and the intervening mortar joint will be the height of the face of the brick lb.

The gas supply line 9 will be connected in the usual way to the portion of my device. There will be a valve I; of any desired type in the gas line 9 to turn the kindler off and on. The valve may be positioned where the operator desires.

In'operation, after fire has been laid, the gas will be turned on by means of the valve I3, and a match may be applied to the gas flowing out of any of the apertures 8 or 8a. Due to the tilted position of the apertures 8, the flame II will be projected beneath the fuel .and will rise as shown to ignite it. The fuel 9"in Fig. 3 is held above the fire place 4 by the andiron l0. After the fuel has been ignited the gas may be turned off.

Since my device is preferably, of-a size corresponding to, or of a size to fit in with the bricks or tiles of which the fire place is constructed, it will in no wise mar the appearance of the rear wall of the fire place. It will be obvious also that my device may be finished to look like the bricks or tiles employed, or otherwise, as may be desired.

Modifications may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I One of these heights will be equivalent claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A fire place comprising a back wall of brick or tile, a fire kindling device set into and forming a part of said back wall, said device comprising a casing of a size and shape to fit within said wall between uncut bricks therein, means for connecting a supply of gas to said casing, and gas delivery apertures in the exposed portion of said casing adapted to project a fiame into said fire place.

2. A fire place comprising a back wall of brick .oritile, a fire kindling device set into and formand gas delivery apertures in the exposed portion of said casing adapted to project a flame into said fire place, said apertures being directed downwardly.

3. A fire place comprising a fioor and a back wall of brick or tile and a kindling device set within said back wall and interspaced from said floor, said kindling device comprising a casing havinga chamber, means for connecting a source of gas supply to said chamber, and apertures in said chamber adapted to direct a, gas fiame downwardly toward said floor.

4. A fire place comprising a Wall of brick or tile and a fire kindling device set into said wall and taking the place of at least one brick or tile therein, said kindling device comprising a casing having a chamber, means for connecting a source of gas to said chamber, and a fiame hole in said chamber positioned to direct a flame into said fire place.

5. A fire place comprising a wall of fire brick or tile laid face down and a kindling device set into said wall and taking the place of at least one complete brick or tile therein, said kindling device comprising a casing of substantially rectangular form and of a height equivalent to the thickness of one of said bricks or tiles, means for connecting a source of gas to said casing, and means on said casing for directing a fiame into said fire place.

6. A fire place having a wall of brick or tile laid face out, said wall comprising in part at least an initial course of brick laid face down, a kinciling device set into said Wall above said course and of a size and shape equivalent to the difference between the thickness of a brick in said course, plus a mortar joint and the height of a face of said brick, the remainder of the brick in said wall being laid face out, said kindling device comprising a casing of substantially rectangular shape and cross section, a chamber in said casing, means for connecting the source of gas to said chamber, said casing having an exposed face and an opening in said face positioned to direct a flame outwardly into said fire place and downwardly toward the floor thereof.

EARL H. CARLETON. 

